Court OKs Delay Of NE Washington Wolf Removal

Last week, a King County Superior Court commissioner entered a temporary restraining order that prohibits the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife from lethally removing a wolf from the Sherman pack in Ferry County.

Washington Wildlife First and other parties filed the initial petition for injunction and motion for a temporary restraining order after the Department announced Deputy Director Amy Windrope’s authorization on October 9th. 

King County Superior Court commissioner Mark Hillman found that the petitioners had met the criteria for temporary injunctive relief.  The court will hold a preliminary injunction hearing on Tuesday, October 28th.

The Department said its Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and Wolf-Livestock Interaction Protocol provide guidance on addressing wolf-livestock conflict, including lethal removal to address patterns of depredation, such as when department staff confirms three predations by wolves on livestock within 30 days or four within 10 months, where non-lethal deterrents have not prevented wolf-livestock conflict.

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